South Korea to Permit More THAAD, Upgrade Patriot

On July 29, South Korean officials said the country will allow the deployment of four additional Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) launchers. The four THAAD units are already in South Korea, but President Moon Jae-in had delayed deployment pending an environmental assessment. Two THAAD units have been deployed since May 2017.

On July 30, South Korea’s defense minister also announced the country would upgrade its Patriot missile system to help defend Seoul and surrounding areas from North Korea’s growing threats. Defense Minister Song Young-moo reaffirmed a plan to establish South Korea’s own missile defense system, called the Korea Air and Missile Defense (KAMD), at an early date.

The THAAD and Patriot developments come shortly after North Korea’s second ICBM test-launch on Friday, July 28.

Missile Threat brings together a wide range of information and analyses relating to the proliferation of cruise and ballistic missiles around the world and the air and missile defense systems designed to defeat them. Missile Threat is a product of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

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